Post-hole digger.



T. MOORE.

POST HOLE OIOGER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB` 7. 1911.

1,235,588. Etelnmi Aug. 7, 1917.

@Horne TOM MOORE, OF HAY-s, KANSAS'.

POST-HOLE DIGGER.

Application med February 7, 1917.y serial No. 147,165.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, TOM MOORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hays, in

the county of Ellis, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful `Improvements in Post-Hole Diggers, and T do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the This invention relates to post hole diggers. j' The object of the invention is to provide a post hole digger which may be mounted upon trucks or wagon bodies and operated therefrom to dig or bore holes which will always be vertical, regardless of the position which the wagon, truck or other-support may assume as a result of the yuneven or inclined contour of the groundv surface. .To this end, the invention comprises a support having a swiveled bearing within which the digger earth boring device is operative to be entered into the earth or withdrawn therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a suitable connection between the boring element or bit and the stem, whereby the bit will be free tobe lifted without rotation when it is desired to withdraw the apparatus from the hole.

Vith the above Objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, my invention will now be fully set forth and described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings i Figure 1 is 'an elevation ofthe device mounted upon a vehicle body,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, Y

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the mounting with the boring stem remo-ved,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the bit, and

Fig. 5 is a section on `line 5-5 of the bit structure.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates a plank or other suitable support which may be projected from the rear or side of a vehicle body so as to support the digger or boring implement freely over the spot which is to be entered by the bit. The plank 1 carries a pair of eye bolts 2, the eyes thereof projecting vertically above the plank with their eyes in longitudinal alinenie'nt and providing a socket for ,the shanks of theyoke sections 4, the.l

Shanks 3 being semi-circular in cross section so that when placedtogether they provide a cylindrical stem whichv fits within the socket provided by the eye bolts. 'Alsowhen the yoke sections 4 are placed together, they Vprovide a gimbal ,between 'whose arms` a block 5 may be swiveled, trunnions 6 upon opposite sides of the block 5 entering within bearings in the free ends of the arms of the elements 4. The block 5 is vertically apertured, Vand threaded to receive a threaded `stem 7 whose rotation in the block 4 raises and lowers the stem and consequently the bit 8 which is removably. secured withinf the lower end of the stem in a manner which will hereinafter appear.` At suitable yintervals, the stem isl provided with recesses. or apertures 9 within which the bolt'lOwhich is threaded into a collar 11 of a cross bar or handle member 12 may enter, the spaced relation of the opening 9 along the stem per: mitting the adjustment of the handle bar 12 to an appropriate or convenient level for the operator.

` The lower end of the bit stem 8 is transversely apertured to receive a pin 13, and above the pin 13 is provided a second aperture withinwhich the pin 14 may be removably projected. The pins 13 and 14 coperate with suitable sockets or recesses in the bit 8 to provide a swivel and ratchet mechanism Y whereby the bit may be driven into the ground by rotation, but may be `withdrawn without rotation. Thus, the pin 13 operates in a cylindrical opening 15 formed at the lower end of the vertical socket 16 within which the stem 8 projects, the cylindrical recess 15 being of sufficient diameter to permit the pin 13 to rotate with the stem relative to the bit in either direction. The pin v14,- on the other hand, co-V operates or ts within .a transverse socket or recess 17 in the upper end of the bit, so that when the pin 14 rests within the recess 17, the stem and bit are locked'togetherfor simultaneous rotation. However, the cylindrical recess 15 is ofsuflioient vertical length to permit such a relative play of the stem: 8 within the bit as to free the pin 14,from its locked engagement with the bit when the stem is elevated. Thus, the action of the mechanism is as follows: When the stem is rotated so as to turn doiynwardly, in the block: '5, the pin 14 enters into the recess 17 so as to lock the bit to the stem, continued rotation of the stem then causing the bit to enter into the ground and bore a hole. I-Iowever, when the stem 7 is rotated in the reverse direction, so as to be lifted from the ground, the pin 14 passes out of the recess 17, and the pin 13 bears against the upper end of the recess 15, but since the pin 13 may rotate within the recess 15, the bit will be lifted from the ground without rotation. In this manner, the hole maybe properly freed from the earth which has been looscned on the down trip. Y

The operation of my improved device ha's been pointed out in the course of the foregoing description, but it should be noted in addition to its simple operation, that it may be readily dismounted from the support 1 and stored within wagon or other vehicle bodies, and that when dismounted its several parts are disassembled for close packing or storing. Furthermore, the parts are simple in construction and of such character and design that there is little mechanism to be destroyed or injured, and if broken may be economically replaced.

Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. A post hole digger comprising in combination, a support, having alined socket elements, a gimbal comprising separable block, adjustable handle bars on the stem,

and a bit mounted upon the lower end of the stem, and means to connect the stem and bit to bore a hole when the stem is screwed downwardly.

2. A post hole digger comprising' in combination, a support, having alined socket elements, a gimbal comprising separable half sections and having shanks tted in said socket elements, a block pivotally mounted between the arms of the gimbal, a threaded stem operative vertically in the block, adjustable handle bars on the stem, and abit swiveled upon the lower end of the stem, said bit having an upper transverse recess and a lower cylindrical recess formed therein adjacent the stem socket thereof, and pins transversely projecting through the stem in position to engage said recesses.

In testimony whereof, I aHiX my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

TOM MOORE.

Witnesses:

H. D. ROBINSON, W. W. VVAnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

